Marley Rose
'Marley Rose '''is a main character on ''Glee. Marley is a junior student at William McKinley High School. She joins the school's glee club, the New Directions in The New Rachel, auditioning with New York State of Mind. She and her mother, Millie Rose, who works as a lunch lady at Marley's school, are poverty stricken. This, her mother's weight, and her low self-esteem has led to Marley being separated, as she was never accepted in any of her other schools. Marley aspires to one day be a singer on the radio, and is currently recovering from bulimia nervosa. Kitty competed for the female lead, Sandy Olsen, of the school musical Grease against Marley, but Marley ends up receiving the role. Her best friend is Wade "Unique" Adams. It is revealed briefly in the episode Shooting Star that she writes original songs and in the episodes Sweet Dreams and All or Nothing, her songs are performed. She is currently in a relationship with Jake Puckerman. She is portrayed by actress and singer Melissa Benoist. Biography Not much is known of Marley's family background as of now, other than the fact that she and her mother, a lunch lady, are facing poverty and no one has seen a father figure as of yet. It is revealed that she used to attend another school where she didn't have any friends prior to going to William McKinley High School. Season Four The New Rachel Marley is first introduced when New Directions are discussing the results of the "New Rachel" competition. She explains she's a sophomore and is going to audition, which Tina brushes off. While Unique takes off her make up to avoid risking New Directions' popularity, Kitty and some jocks take her seat. They begin to make fun of the new lunch lady, insulting her weight. New Directions are clearly uncomfortable, but Artie joins in by making a fat joke, wanting to impress Kitty. Marley listens to them from the next table over and frowns. She goes back into the kitchen to see the lunch lady sewing a skirt. The lunch lady is Marley's mother, making her a skirt for the audition. She says that even though people will think the skirt is secondhand, they'll at least think it's designer secondhand, as she put a designer label on the skirt. Marley expresses concern about not getting into the group, to which her mother replies that she has "magic in her throat." She tells Marley that she'll drive off after school and that Marley can meet her in the car afterwards, to keep Marley from being humiliated. Marley auditions for New Directions with Barbra Streisand's version of Billy Joel's New York State of Mind (which is sung as a tag-team duet with Rachel, who is singing it at NYADA). Most of New Directions are impressed, though Unique, Tina, Blaine, and Brittany seem clearly threatened. Marley looks on the callback sheet and finds that she was the only new person who tried out to be accepted, passing by Jake in the hallway. When she's welcomed into the group, Sugar compliments her sweater but is confused when Marley says she bought it at J Crew. Her mother is ecstatic at the news and says that Rachel Berry rode New Directions to Broadway. Marley says she would rather be a singer on the radio. After her mother laughs and tells her to use the glee club to help her accomplish that goal, she tells her mother that the group has been making fun of her and she doesn't feel comfortable lying about the fact that she is her mother. Her mother tells her that they're teenagers, and that at her last school, her mother's job and their poverty led to her having no friends. She adds that Marley will finally be able to sit at the popular table. Marley leaves in tears after New Directions continues to make fun of her mother, and tells them the truth. Sam finds her and shares his story of poverty with her, and New Directions come to apologize. After Marley says she doesn't feel comfortable sitting next to Kitty and the jocks, Kitty walks up and says that the feeling is mutual and the jocks slushie Unique and Marley. Artie says they are officially members of the club. Marley is invited to sing lead vocals on Chasing Pavements. As she's singing, she spots Jake again and smiles before he leaves. The episode ends with New Directions' praising Marley and themselves on the performance.